DAWN mission to orbit 1 Ceres & 4 Vesta.

[MeteorWayne]

I doubt much will come out of it, seems more like a photo op and to get the word out to the media (i.e. "dawning" on them) that this mission is coming up....<br />Of course, here at SDC, we've been tuned in for a long time, so it's not for us <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Thanks MeteorWayne.<br /><br />I did suspect that it might be a Junket for journalists.<br /><br />Of course we have known about this for yonks. I was part of the campaign to keep the<br />DAWN mission going & I was part of the lightning petition when DAWN was cancelled for those<br />three weeks, before NASA reinstated the mission.<br /><br />So you are probably right. There is nothing for us.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Well we can always hope <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[ckikilwai]

bad news, the mission will be delayed again.<br /><br />article on NSF http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/content/?cid=5132<br /><br />A worker fell on a solar panel...

 

[MeteorWayne]

Oh crap...<br /><br />Thanx for the update. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[bpcooper]

It should not be delayed:<br /><br />http://space.newscientist.com/article/dn12060-dawn-spacecraft-damaged-but-still-set-for-launch.html<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>-Ben</p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Well as discussed in other threads, I don't take NS at their word.<br /><br />However, I hope they are right. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[h2ouniverse]

Let's hope Orbital had one spare panel... Or that it is just local repairable damage.

 

[bpcooper]

"Marc Rayman who is helping oversee the Dawn launch campaign team at KSC has told SpaceDaily.com. "The report of a worker falling [on the Dawn spacecraft] is wrong; I don't know how such a rumor even got started. A tool made inadvertent contact with the back of the solar array (i.e., the side without solar cells). There is no reason to expect this to have an effect on our plans to launch on July..."<br /><br />http://www.SpaceDaily.com <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>-Ben</p> </div>

 

[rybanis]

Whew!<br /><br />I thought that sounded strange. I mean, really, someone falling on a solar panel? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[3488]

It is a huge relief.<br /><br />Lets hope the launch date is not set back further. If so<br />NASA could use it as an excuse to cancel.<br /><br />I was actively involved in the campaign to get DAWN restarted, so needless to say,<br />I am following this very closely.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Latest official word:<br /><br />06.14.07<br />George H. Diller<br />Kennedy Space Center, Fla.<br />321-867-2468<br />STATUS REPORT: ELV-061407<br />EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE STATUS REPORT<br /><br />Mission: Dawn <br />Location: Astrotech Space Operations Facility <br />Launch Pad: 17-B <br />Launch Vehicle: Delta II 7925-H <br />Launch Date: July 7, 2007 <br />Launch Time: 4:09:31 - 4:36:22 p.m. EDT <br /><br />NASA is investigating a minor mishap affecting the Dawn spacecraft. On <br />June 11, during a procedure to prepare the spacecraft for <br />spin-balance testing, the back of a solar array panel was slightly <br />damaged by a technician's tool. No solar cells were broken. The <br />necessary minor repairs will be made this weekend. There is no impact <br />to the launch date of July 7.<br /><br />Loading of xenon for the ion propulsion system was completed last <br />week. Hydrazine, used for spacecraft control and maneuvering, was <br />loaded aboard June 10. The spacecraft was then weighed and placed on <br />a spin table for a series of spin tests that are currently under way. <br />Dawn will be mated to its associated upper-stage booster on June 21 <br />and transported to Pad 17-B for mating to the Delta II on June 26.<br /><br />At Pad 17-B, the operations to attach the Delta II solid rocket <br />boosters to the first stage are complete. The second stage is planned <br />to be hoisted atop the first stage on Friday. <br /><br />Previous status reports are available on the Web at:<br /><br />http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/status/2007 <br /><br /><br /><br /> <br />EDIT:: DAWN MEDIA OPPORTUNITY RESCHEDULED TO JUNE 20<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[h2ouniverse]

Unfortunately this kind of things happens in real life. I've seen worse...<br />Hopefully that is just an impact on backside (however I guess they will take care if that was carbon; normally we patch when there is impact on CFRP)

 

[h2ouniverse]

Andrew,<br />Recently I found a thermal analysis of Ceres made by McCord and Christophe Sotin (from 2005!)<br />Are you aware of it?<br />I was elated to see that liquid water might still exist today in depth. Not guaranteed, but possible.<br />http://www.cosis.net/abstracts/EGU05/03785/EGU05-J-03785.pdf<br /><br />Regards<br /> let's cross fingers for Dawn.

 

[3488]

Thank you Joel,<br /><br />I had not seen that.<br /><br />They seem to be pretty sure of the makeup of 74 % Silicates & 26 % ice. <br /><br />If there is such an abundance of 26Al, than perhaps 1 Ceres is not completely inert.<br /><br />I still expect to see a surface with large faults, as the differentiation & slowing rotation of 1 Ceres <br />caused the surface to deform.<br /><br />Hopefully, more recent impact cratering has not obliterated everything!!!<br /><br />I wonder if Spitzer has looked, to see if there are warm spots on 1 Ceres?<br /><br />I noticed they spelt Pallas wrong. I wonder because 2 Pallas is mentioned, that it is<br />on the manifest officially.<br /><br />I just hope that there are no further incidents before & after launch.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[h2ouniverse]

Andrew,<br />I have not seen anything on Ceres in the on-going Cosmic Vision proposals I am aware of. A pity because I am wondering whether a Ceres Sample Return should not be thought about. Especially as the landing site may be selected in 2015, 2016 based on Dawn observations, before a CSR 2017+ launch...<br />Ice on surface at some spots. As for Mars but in a much shallower gravity. Only drawback: no atmosphere to aerobrake in. (*)<br />Not too far for Soalr Arrays (LILT e.g.) <br />Compared with a lander on gas giants moons, there is no comparison: a small capture delta-v instead o two big one (insertion around the primary + insertion around the moon). And more Solar power available.<br /><br />Best regards<br />Joel<br /><br />(*) to be confirmed btw. May be some plumes from the uncovered ice spots (if they exist) might help.

 

[3488]

Hi Joel,<br /><br />There is no real 'atmosphere' to speak off, but 1 Ceres does have a tenuous gaseous envelope.<br /><br />AFAIK, 1 Ceres has no follow up post DAWN.<br /><br />I would expect DAWN to answer the most fundementals about 1 Ceres & 4 Vesta.<br /><br />This is clearly an important exploratory mission.<br /><br />Lets hope nothing else happens to cause further delay.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

06.18.07<br />George H. Diller<br />Kennedy Space Center, Fla.<br />321-867-2468<br />STATUS REPORT: ELV-061807<br />EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE STATUS REPORT<br /><br />Mission: Dawn <br />Location: Astrotech Space Operations Facility <br />Launch Pad: 17-B <br />Launch Vehicle: Delta II 7925-H <br />Launch Date: July 7, 2007 <br />Launch Time: 4:09:31 - 4:36:22 p.m. EDT <br /><br />Over the weekend, Dutch Space personnel completed the solar array <br />repair on Dawn as planned and spacecraft processing continues on <br />schedule.<br /><br />Dawn will be mated to its associated upper-stage booster on Thursday <br />and transported to Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station for <br />mating to the Delta II on June 27.<br /><br />At Pad 17-B, the Delta II second stage was hoisted atop the first <br />stage on June 15. <br /><br /><br /><br />Previous status reports are available on the Web at:<br /><br />http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/status/2007 <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Thanks MeteorWayne.<br /><br />I am always grateful for your updates. Both DAWN & MPL mean so much to me<br />as well as many others.<br /><br />You might like the updates as below. <br /><br />HST has delivered very well with the new 4 Vesta observations.<br /><br />Monday 14th May 2007, Hubble Space Telescope image of Asteroid 4 Vesta in colour.<br /><br />========================================================<br /><br />This Hubble Space Telescope image of Vesta shows another of the most massive asteroids<br />in the asteroid belt, a region between Mars and Jupiter. The images are helping astronomers <br />plan for the Dawn spacecraft's tour of these hefty asteroids. Credit: NASA, ESA, J. <br />Parker (Southwest Research Institute), L. McFadden (University of Maryland)<br /><br />Andrew Brown.<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Hubble Space Telescope.<br /><br />Colour images of 1 Ceres & 4 Vesta.<br /><br />1 Ceres taken: Saturday 24th January 2004.<br /><br />4 Vesta taken: Monday 14th May 2007.<br /><br />==========================================================<br />Credits for 4 Vesta: NASA; ESA; L. McFadden and J.Y. Li (University of Maryland, College Park); <br />M. Mutchler and Z. Levay (Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore); <br />P. Thomas (Cornell University); J. Parker and E.F. Young (Southwest Research Institute); <br />and C.T. Russell and B. Schmidt (University of California, Los Angeles)<br /><br />Credits for 1 Ceres: NASA; ESA; J. Parker (Southwest Research Institute); <br />P. Thomas (Cornell University); L. McFadden (University of Maryland, College Park); <br />and M. Mutchler and Z. Levay (Space Telescope Science Institute)<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Just occurred to me, I wonder if these new 4 Vesta observations are to be made into <br />a movie?<br /><br />Also the Hubble Space Telescope was to look for any 4 Vesta moons if they exist.<br /><br />Wonder what that revealed??<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

This just in.<br /><br />Panel of rotation of 4 Vesta colour images just released from the Monday 14th May 2007 <br />Hubble Space Telescope observations.<br /><br />=================================================<br />Below from Hubble Site. <br /><br />Astronomers used Hubble's Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 to snap new images of the <br />asteroid 4 Vesta on May 14 and 16, 2007. Using Hubble, astronomers <br />mapped 4 Vesta's southern hemisphere, a region dominated by a giant impact crater <br />formed by a collision billions of years ago. The crater is 295 miles across, which is nearly <br />equal to Vesta's 330-mile diameter. This 20-frame movie shows widespread extensive <br />global features as they rotate across the face of Vesta stretching longitudinally from <br />the northern hemisphere to the southern hemisphere. <br /><br />Vesta rotates once about every 5.34 hours. The images hint at the large-scale features <br />that will come into view when the Dawn spacecraft arrives at Vesta in 2011. <br /><br />Credit: NASA, ESA, L. McFadden (University of Maryland) and G. Bacon (STScI) <br /><br />Full resolution here: 4 Vesta colour full rotation images.<br /><br />I hope that the Hubble Space Telescope will carry out the same on Asteroid 2 Pallas.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[comga]

Leave it to Emily!<br /><br />http://www.planetary.org/blog/article/00001013/<br /><br />A Vesta rotation movie.<br /><br />Thanks!<br /><br />

 

[bobblebob]

How come nasatv schedule has no live feed for the launch?<br /><br />"July 6, Friday<br />6 - 10 a.m. - Live Interviews on the Dawn Mission - JPL (Public and Media Channels)<br />1 p.m. - Dawn Mission L-1 Spacecraft Briefing - KSC (Public and Media Channels)<br />1:45 p.m. - Dawn Mission L-1 Science Briefing - KSC (Public and Media Channels)<br /><br />July 10, Tuesday<br />9 a.m. - STS-118 Program Overview Briefing - JSC (Public, Media and Education Channels)<br />10:30 a.m. - STS-118 Mission Overview Briefing - JSC (Public, Media and Education Channels)<br />2 p.m. - STS-118 Spacewalk Overview Briefing - JSC (Public, Media and Education Channels)<br />3:30 p.m. - NASA Education Briefing - JSC (Public, Media and Education Channels)"<br />

 

[3488]

There does seem to be no slot for the DAWN launch.<br /><br />(06/21/2007) --- KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech, workers secure the attachments<br /> of the Dawn spacecraft onto the upper stage booster. The two elements are being mated<br /> for launch. Dawn's goal is to characterize the conditions and processes of the solar system's<br /> earliest epoch by investigating in detail the largest protoplanets that have remained intact<br /> since their formations: asteroid Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres. They reside<br /> in the extensive zone between Mars and Jupiter together with many other smaller bodies, <br />called the asteroid belt. <br /><br />Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton.<br /><br />Andrew Brown.<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>